The key was the introduction of an anti-crisis formula: a full meal including appetizer, main course, dessert, coffee and a glass of wine, all for only 10 euros.
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The News
Who said that with a ticket-restaurant you can barely scrape together a salad and a glass of water? Laurent Berger, a Haute-Vienne restaurateur, has defied the logic of soaring prices and, with a stunt as simple as it is revolutionary, has avoided the closure of his restaurant thanks to a full menu for only 10 euros. A winning strategy that, every day, fills his room with customers booked well in advance. When he took over the Le Bellevue restaurant in 2022, Berger soon came to terms with a ruthless reality: without a solid clientele, losses were piling up at an alarming rate, so much so that bankruptcy seemed just around the corner. "My accountant was not giving a dime on my survival. Today he says I have made a miracle in a few months. It's a daily struggle, but it's worth it,” , Berger tells Le Figaro.
The cornerstone was the introduction of an anti-crisis formula: a full meal including appetizer, main course, dessert, coffee and a glass of wine, all for only 10 euros. The proposal immediately caught the attention of local workers and residents alike, creating a small gastronomic revolution accessible to all. Recently, the menu offered Moroccan-style caviar d'aubergines, cod filet with Provençal-style potatoes, and a classic tarte aux pommes.
To keep the price competitive without compromising quality, Berger has honed the art of negotiation: he buys products close to expiration at discount prices and negotiates every supply to the penny. “You have to buy carefully and negotiate every purchase down to the last detail. You can't get anything wrong," the restaurateur explains. The result? An average cost per meal of only 3.50 euros, allowing enough margin to keep the business afloat. The initiative has turned Le Bellevue into a hotspot for people who work nearby, from insurance employees to retirees looking for a hot meal at an affordable price. "Now I come here every Friday, at 10 euros I can afford it. And on that day there is also couscous!” says one regular customer, Hervé Potiron.
But the real strength of the offer is loyalty: those who try the 10-euro menu often return and switch to the 16-euro menu, at will. A domino effect that has allowed Berger to employ six people and even consider opening new restaurants with the same formula. At a time when the restaurant industry struggles with price increases on raw materials and personnel costs, the case of Le Bellevue shows that ingenuity and the ability to adapt can make all the difference. Perhaps the way for the industry's survival lies not just in raising prices, but in clever reformulation of supply. A model to replicate?
